Agreement
by AvengersIsLife
Summary: All Clint and Natasha do is argue, and Coulson has had about enough.


An old, abandoned house sat near the edge of a slow flowing creek. It's shutters were hanging crookedly, and the windows were cracked and shattered. The wood the house was made of, was rotting, causing the house to appear uneven and unstable. Shingles from the roof and bricks from the chimney were missing, but some littered the ground around the house. Trees grew around the clearing, reaching towards the tiny house. Vines creeped up the sides, threatening to engulf the structure in green. As the sun set upon the little house, the glow made it look even weaker, putting emphasis on shadows made by the deteriorating house.

As darkness fell, a faint light grew within the tiny house that hadn't been seen within for years. A fire glowered in the fireplace that was dirty and black, one of the last remaining supports in the leaning structure. In front of the now fading flames were three cots, placed side by side by side on the earthy ground. A body occupied each cot, each person laying on their backs, staring up at the weak ceiling above them.

Clint lay on the left, Natasha on the right, and Coulson smushed in the middle. Natasha and Clint were bickering as usual, arguing about some small detail in their mission plan.

Natasha wanted to go in, guns blazing, but Clint, as usual, wanted to sneak in through the air vents and get the job done quietly.

Natasha had been working for S.H.I.E.L.D. officially for eight months now, having been recruited by Clint and turned over to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s side. Unfortunately, Clint's order was to kill her, and because it was Clint's fault she was still alive, Director Fury partnered Clint and Natasha together, placing them under Coulson's care.

Coulson had been Clint's handler long before Natasha had come along, and he knew that Clint despised making a mess of things, and charging through the front gates of the compound would certainly make a mess.

Natasha, who worked mostly in secret, enjoyed the chance to get a little practice in. She didn't mind taking on twenty men at once, as long as she could take them down any way she wanted.

When Coulson heard Natasha muttering death threats at Clint in a mix of Russian and English, he knew it was time to step in. If Natasha's English blurred with her native language, someone was about to get seriously hurt.

"Will you two shut up already? We only have four hours until we need to leave for the compound, and I would like to get some rest before we go."

"Coulson, isn't it better if we went in through the vents? That way there is a smaller chance of getting hurt; we can get inside easily, take out the target, and get out."

"Why not try and take out more of the guards? They're lowlife scum, trading children for weapons like they're currency! Plus, once they get more weapons, they'll just recruit more children and the process starts all over again! They don't deserve to live."

Both Clint's and Natasha's voices were furious with passion. Coulson sighed; it was his job to make a compromise between the two.

"How about this: Natasha, you go in through the gate and cause a diversion. Clint, you and I will go in through the vents and take out the target, Fair enough?"

Natasha was fond of the idea, but Clint was spitting mad.

"Sir! She hasn't been here a year yet! I didn't even get my first solo mission until I was here for a year and a half! We can't leave her alone out there! She might get hurt! If she dies, it's on you. I can't believe that you would even consider that."

Natasha turned to Clint. "You think I can't handle it? News Flash, _archer_, I've been killing people since before you even picked up a bow!"

That set off a whole new round of arguments.

"Hey, HEY!" Coulson yelled.

The two fell silent, glaring at each other from either side of Coulson.

"Barton, unless you have another idea that allows Natasha to challenge herself and get her accustomed to thinking for herself in a way that doesn't have any risks, by all means, speak up. Romanoff, Barton wasn't saying that you were weak, at least I hope he wasn't. He was simply expressing his concerns for your well being in a not so smart way; he's never been good with words. Now both of you don't say a word until our now tree hours and thirty minutes of rest is up."

Silence followed his words.

* * *

When it was time to get up, all three arose without a word. The fire was now glowing ashes, and outside it was beginning to grow lighter. They packed everything up, and pulled on their combat suits. They wouldn't be returning to the deteriorating hut, at least not on this mission. When they stepped out into the forest, the sun was just beginning to rise, illuminating the three agents setting out on their mission.

* * *

"You both did amazing. Great job. Romanoff, thanks for keeping those guards occupied. You allowed us plenty of time to get out, and thank god the guards in this one room left when they did to try and capture you; Barton fell through one of the vents because he didn't know which way he was going."

Natasha managed a laugh as Clint mumbled darkly, glaring at Coulson.

"It's not funny! I snapped an arrow!" His comment made Coulson, Natasha, and the driver of the jeep crack up.

After they eliminated their target, Coulson called in for someone to come in and take them back to base. An hour later, a jeep pulled up with a driver that Coulson had known in the academy. They chatted while Natasha and Clint put their gear in the back. Natasha was extremely tired, having taken out nearly all of the guards. Coulson was right; she needed all of the training she could get.

They all climbed into the jeep, Natasha and Clint crammed into the back, Coulson and the driver up front. As they drove away from the pick up site, Natasha's head leaned against the window, and she was out in a matter of seconds. Clint followed closely behind, having stayed up most of the past few nights on guard.

After about an hour into the drive, COulson glanced at the back seat, then did a doubletake. Due to the cramped conditions, Natasha and Clint were forced side by side, Natasha head now laying on Clint's shoulder, Clint's arm arm around Natasha. Coulson smiled, pulled out his phone, and took a quick picture. Knowing he would be retalliated upon later on, he sent the picture to Director Fury, with the caption:

"They're finally cooperating on something. Sleep!"


End file.
